Does your business slow down in the summer? Every business has its busy seasons and slow seasons, and for many small businesses the summer is a time when business is down. It may be because decision makers are on vacation or the heat just has everyone moving more slowly than usual. Or it may be because you expect business to be slower in the summer and don’t pursue new clients the way you do at other times of the year.
Whatever the reason, you can make more money this summer by creating a summer marketing plan. Think about what your customers need this summer (No, probably not a pitcher of margaritas–unless your business is a bar!) and offer it to them. Here are some ideas.
- What are your customers worried about this summer? Are they concerned about the safety of their home while they’re away on vacation, or the cost of air conditioning while they are home? Do they need a way to keep their kids busy and out of trouble while they are at work? If your clients are businesses, what are their summer problems? For many, it is getting work done while employees are on vacation. List every worry or problem your customers are facing and how you can help them with it.
- What are your customers doing this summer? How can you help them to do what they need to do and reach their goals?
- What would they rather be doing? What do your customers really want to be doing, but can’t (but possibly could with the help of your product or services)?
- Who isn’t using your services, but should be? For example, if you are a virtual assistant, you may provide assistance and backup to clients when they are away. Are there solo-preneurs who believe they are unable to take a vacation because they need to be there to run the business? Show them how you can help them and you have a new client.
- How can you remove the obstacles to working with you? Are you waiting for an approval that never seems to come because the decision makers have gone on vacation one after another, and they can’t get together to say yes? Could you propose an interim service that could be approved by the people who are in the office now? Can you make an irresistible offer to new clients to get them to start buying from you?
- Could you come up with an excuse for a sale? Maybe a “Send My Kids to Camp” sale where you offer special pricing on a group of products or services to get your kids out of your hair for a week or two. ;o) Or whatever reason you might have for offering a special.
Coming up with a summer marketing plan doesn’t require any magic or genius skills, but it does require some thought. Spend a little time considering how you can help your customers, and attract new customers, this summer and you will have business that will be profitable through the summer and beyond.